


Us and Them

by sassygaycastiel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Destiel - Freeform, Falling In Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-27
Updated: 2012-06-27
Packaged: 2017-11-08 16:24:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/445112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassygaycastiel/pseuds/sassygaycastiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel is the runt of the high school campus, and he finally thinks he can gain his popularity by attending a party hosted by the most popular boy at school: Sam Winchester. Dean, however, disagrees with this plan, and for good reason. Can he make Cas realize that popularity isn't all there is?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Castiel went through the motions as he ventured to school. The students outside of campus would take one look at his scrawny, intellectual stature, and immediately turn to their friends to degrade his very appearance. Some of the things they said were downright rude; at least the things that Cas would be able to recognize. "Nerd" and "twig" were among the majority, but the others were to be repressed so far down in his memory, even psychotherapy couldn't reveal it.

However, today was different. Today, everything would change, and this newfound hope in Castiel was what kept him going. The insults ran by him like a ninja in the night, paying no heed to the evil intentions his fellow students had. He walked through the campus to his first class as if there were no malicious teenagers trying to crumble his permanent smile.

He was distracted in his classes. Instead of taking notes, he was doodling, covering his notebooks with pictures of him wearing a stunning pair of sunglasses, surrounded by people who were fawning merely over his existence. However, the doodle of himself in his notebooks was the opposite of how he appeared in reality. The suave, and for lack of better words, "sexy" nature of his doodle opposed his rather slim, and somewhat uptight appearance. It was more interesting than whatever the teacher was babbling on about, though, so he decided to stay within his fantasies he knew were going to come true.

The bell rang, signaling that lunchtime has arrived. Castiel raced to the lunch lines, able to make it before the large rush of students came. After he received his salad, he rushed outside to his table of "friends", or rather, a group he aspired to be like, with only one person who actually cared about his existence.

A boy with light brown hair, dressed in red flannel sat across from him, and started unwrapping his burger.

"Hey Cas," he said, smiling.

"Hi Dean," said Castiel. "Eating healthy as usual, I see."

"Shut up," he said, taking a bite. "We're teenagers. We burn it off with the blink of an eye."

"Shh! He's coming!"

Dean rolled his eyes, which went unnoticed by Cas, who was gazing upon the most popular boy in school. Sam Winchester, the tall, dark, and handsome man on campus that stole the hearts of girls (and boys) whose eyes met his glassy gaze. His posse of popular students always followed him, and they all stormed the campus as if they owned the place. They were allowed to, because according to the rules of high school society, they  _did_ own the place.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," said Sam, as he and his entourage took their seats at the same table as Cas and Dean.

"Hi," was all Cas could say, stumbling over such a simple word.

"Hey Sammy," said Dean.

"Dean," Sam whispered harshly. "I told you not to call me that while we were in school. I have a reputation."

"Whatever," said Dean, taking another bite. "You're still my little squirt of a brother, so I get to call you Sammy if I want."

Sam clenched his teeth, and turned away from his brother, trying to drown him out with his group of people who, essentially, idolized him. Dean would try to talk to Cas through lunch, but Cas was always only half listening, because of how much he would stare at Sam.

"God dammit, Cas," Dean whispered. "You stare at him as if he's some god. I know you want to be as popular as he is, but I'll never understand why."

"I'm a freshman, Dean," said Cas. "If he lets me hang out with his crowd, maybe people would stop making fun of me because I'll finally have a good reputation."

"Why do you want to be like him, Cas? He's a prick. I would know, because I live with him. I like you just the way you are. Besides, if you turned into that," he made a mild gesture to his brother, so he wouldn't notice. "Who would I hang out with?"

"But he's so cool!" Cas said, obviously disregarding Dean's advice. Cas took another glance at Sam, admiring his very existence, which had Dean rolling his eyes.

"I see that look in your eyes," said Dean, without a change in tone. "You could do so much better. You want to be 'cool' just so he will like you, but no matter what you are, he'll never give you the treatment you deserve."

Dean had been looking after Cas since the day he walked through the campus gates. Dean had invited him to sit at their table, and they were inseparable ever since. The only reason he was able to get Cas to hang out with him, despite the fact that Sam was always a distraction during lunch, was because he would always invite him to hang out at the local mall. The two of them grew fond of each other very quickly. Dean was the only friend Cas had at this school, but the loyalty Dean gave him was more than Cas could ever ask for. It was only in moments like these where he seemed blind to it.

"How do you know?" Cas asked. "He seems like he treats everyone else nicely."

Dean leaned in closer to Cas.

"But when we're at home," he said. "He's bitching to somebody about each and every one of them."

He backed away, staring at Cas as if what he said was supposed to have a lasting impact on him. Cas, however, just nibbled on his salad and shrugged.

"Maybe they're mean people," he said.

"Either way," said Dean. "He's being two-faced. I don't want to see you turn into that. I honestly think you're great, just the way you are. You're smart, you can be kinda funny, you're cute…"

The last bit ended up being a tad muffled, which left Cas squinting and pondering at it.

"What was that last part?" asked Cas.

"Attention, everyone!" Sam exclaimed, drawing everyone's glances to him. Dean just looked away.

"As you all know, I'm having a party at my house tonight, and I just wanted to make sure that you were all coming."

"I am!" Castiel said with enthusiasm, his face shining brightly.

"Good!"

He went down the line of people, getting the same response from each and every one of them. However, he didn't bother asking Dean, and Cas just assumed that this was because they lived together. No one else at the table seemed to care, because Dean only ever talked to Cas anyway.

"Why are you going?" Dean asked.

"All of the cool kids will be there," said Cas. "I  _have_ to go."

"No you don't, Cas. We can just go somewhere together, and not worry about them. We can go anywhere, even if it's just going to your house. I like it there."

"Well I want to go. You'll be there too, right? So you'll be there for me if anything goes wrong."

Dean smirked a bit, but he tried to hide it.

"I can only do so much," he said. "I know how Sam is, though. He's gonna pull some douche bag move on you. Sure, he seems nice on the outside, but he's one of the fakest people I know. Just, please,  _please_ go somewhere else with me. Anywhere will be better than my house when his minions infiltrate it."

They argued back and forth for what seemed to be hours, but Dean eventually budged. Cas was desperate to be popular, and if that's what he wanted, Dean was going to support him, no matter how frivolous the decision was. Seeing his face light up at the chance of being noticed around school was all he needed to cave in and let him do what he wants. In other words, he would do anything to see him smile.

In the middle of Castiel's last few classes, he received a text from Dean, asking if they wanted to walk home together. Since they lived on the same street, Dean would occasionally ask him if he wanted to walk with him, given that he wasn't busy with soccer practice. Cas would always ask if Sam would be walking with them too, to which Dean would just respond with "I hope not" or "I don't care". Cas would never get the hint, even though it was only very subtle. Cas was so blind to the world because of his mission to become popular, which clouded his reality of Dean's absolute loyalty to him.

After school got out, Castiel exited the campus and met with Dean. Dean wore a genuine, heartfelt smile once he laid eyes on him, and he approached him.

"Ready to go?" he asked with enthusiasm.

"Sure," said Cas. "Where's Sam? Was he going to walk with us, too?"

"No, he's not," Dean snapped, raising his voice. "He's probably off doing douche-baggy things with his douche bag friends. Can I please just walk home with my friend and not have my obnoxious brother to ruin it?"

Castiel's expression quickly changed, showing a sheepish, cowering expression. He nodded lightly, and they started walking home. However, they hadn't even left the campus yet before Dean pulled Cas in for a tight embrace.

"What's this for?" Cas asked, confused.

"For snapping at you," said Dean. "You looked upset afterward. I…I'm sorry for upsetting you."

Cas smiled, and hugged him back.

"I understand, Dean."

Castiel's house was further down the street than Dean's was, but every time they walked home together, Dean would insist on walking all the way to his house first. He knew how the student body felt about Cas, so, knowing this, he took it upon himself to be somewhat of a protector. If anyone even mouthed a negative word about Cas in Dean's presence, he would spring into attack mode. He was determined to make sure Cas had a good high school career, despite how the majority of the students treated him.

"I guess I'll be seeing you at the party then," said Dean, as they approached Castiel's doorstep. "Unless you're having second thoughts."

"I want to go," said Cas, confidently. "I know you think Sam will do something mean, but I don't think he would risk looking like a meanie in front of his friends."

The naivety of Castiel's words had Dean chuckling, and shaking his head. Cas looked confused, and his expression twisted into a frown.

"Okay then," Cas continued. "If he  _does_ do something mean, can I count on you to be there for me?"

Dean flashed his warm smile at his friend. The friend who assumed everyone was good, and had such blind determination. The friend, who was a minority among his peers, but was still brave enough to try and defy this label. This is the friend he would do anything for, and give him a shoulder to lean on in a heartbeat.

"You know it," said Dean.

They said their good-byes, and Cas entered his house. He ran upstairs, not having to greet anyone upon his entrance because his parents were quite the examples of what workaholics are. He made himself dinner almost daily, found his own ways to entertain himself, and often called Dean out of pure loneliness. In a way, he felt like he didn't belong there. He desperately desired having a place to belong, which was the reason he was ruthless in trying to be a part of Sam's popular crowd. He felt that, if he was accepted into his posse, he would finally mean something to somebody.

He waited and waited until it was time to head to the party. He hurried down the stairs and out the door, practically bouncing down the street because of how excited he was. This was the first party he had ever been invited to, and by someone he highly admired, nonetheless. He was hoping that this would be the night where he gained the popularity he had been craving. He was hoping to make a strong bond with the boy he admired, and he was hoping Dean was wrong about Sam's evil plan. However, hoping something would happen wouldn't always change the outcome that was already set in stone.

As he approached the house, he could hear the thumping of loud music coming from inside as it beat lightly on his eardrums. There were purple, green, blue, and red lights flashing through the windows, and people could be seen swaying to the beat, igniting the desire in Castiel to join the fun.

He hopped up the stairs to the doorway, and rang the doorbell. It was a surprise that anyone was even able to hear it, because after a few moments, Sam slipped through the front door and stood outside in front of Cas, closing the door behind him. The face on the fragile, young freshman turned bright red, seeing the very man he adored. Sam, however, forced a smile upon his face, and wiped some of the beads of sweat off of his glistening forehead.

"Hey!" said Sam.

"Hi," said Cas, timidly. "You sure know how to throw a party."

"Party? Oh, right! The party!"

The laugh that came out of him hideously insincere, and Castiel's naïve mind was too innocent to process it.

"See," Sam continued. "We decided to move it to another day. My friends and I simply had too much studying to do, so we decided just to have a study day here."

"B-But," said Castiel. "You guys have such loud music going on."

"We were taking a break, but we're gonna be starting up again. I thought Dean sent you a text saying that the party was rescheduled."

"I didn't get that text."

"Oh, that Dean. Can't count on him for anything, can you?"

Even even the most talented actor couldn't reproduce the sad, hopeless look in Castiel's eyes. All his hope had been for nothing, and the person he looked up to most had proved to be nothing but a jerk. He looked at the ground so that Sam wouldn't see his tears welling up. He had already felt miserable, and the last thing he needed was to be mocked for it.

"I'll let you know what day we have it though, okay?"

Cas nodded his head slightly, and turned away from the house. Right when he heard the door close, he allowed the tears to fall. He barely even wanted to keep walking down the dark street, walking less than half the speed he used to get there. He just hoped that, every time a tear fell from his cheeks, a bit of the pain would fall with it until there was nothing left. 


	2. Chapter 2

From the outside, the music coming from the Winchester house was only that of constant thump in the air, but from its interior, it was more like a roar right against one's eardrums. It was a surprise that no one had called to report a disturbance of the peace. The sound coming from Dean's television upstairs could barely be heard, and he just couldn't take it anymore.

He burst out of his room and descended the stairs.

"Could you keep it—" he began to ask, but was cut off when he saw Sam entering the front door. Sam glanced back at Dean, wearing a false smile. Dean clenched his teeth, and moved down the stairs even faster. He approached Sam, who was still smiling with no real emotion behind it; just for the sake of building a façade.

"Who was at the door?" asked Dean, trying to be louder than the music.

"Just someone complaining about the noise," said Sam. "No big deal."

"Don't lie to me. I know Cas said he was coming, and he would be here by now. So I'm going to ask you again, and you better not be bullshitting me. Who was at the God damn door?"

Sam's jaw tightened, and he rolled his eyes.

"I already told you, Dean. Stop over-reacting. He probably decided not to come."

Dean scoffed at him, shaking his head.

"You douche bag," he muttered under the roar of the music, as he pushed passed his brother and out the door in desperation. He started running down the street, hoping to reach the poor boy that just wanted to belong. Dean knew Sam would pull something like this, and he was beating himself up for it for letting it happen. Maybe a spark of hope was ignited, hoping Sam would have somewhat of an epiphany. He had to take this as a learning experience, however; he had the mindset that Sam would never change.

He finally saw his friend, who was crying as he dragged his feet down the sidewalk.

"Cas!" he shouted.

Castiel turned his head, and his cheeks were wet with his tears. Dean could feel his heart breaking upon the sight. He blamed himself for the pain Cas felt, and he felt like a failure for letting his pure, innocent face be stained by pain. He finished closing the distance between them, and hugged Cas tightly, letting him cry into his shoulder.

"Dean," said Cas, his voice shaking as he forced the words out. "Why did you chase me down? Did you know I was at the door?"

"C'mon, Cas," said Dean. "You're the most timely person I know. When Sam came back through the front door, and you weren't with him, I knew what happened. I wasn't going to let you walk these dark streets all the way home without your best friend."

"Th-Thanks, Dean. I just feel so stupid…"

"Don't. C'mon, let's go to your house. Mine's too loud."

Dean kept one arm around Cas as he walked back to his house. Cas was still sobbing, and Dean was trying his best to tame his sadness. He felt terrible that Cas was victimized by such an act, but it only revved up the need to protect his friend even more. It helped him realize how vulnerable Cas was.

They reached Castiel's doorstep, and Cas unlocked the door, leading them into a house filled with darkness. He flipped on a light switch, and Dean moved his eyes across the household, looking for other signs of life. Cas closed the door behind them, and Dean turned to him.

"Parents on a business trip?" he asked.

"I guess," said Castiel, sniffling. "I don't know. They never tell me when they're leaving. They always just leave me a note."

Cas moved over to the couch in the living room, and sat down. He was still crying, and Dean sat next to him, laying his arm around his shoulders. Cas fell onto his chest, sniffling and vigorously wiping his tears.

"Don't let him do this to you," said Dean. "You don't need him. You're putting so much effort into a friendship that he won't give back. You're wasting your energy."

Cas sat back up, and Dean moved his arm off of his shoulders. Cas wiped the rest of his tears, and his sobs seemed appeared to be quelled.

"But he's so cool," said Cas, his voice still doused with pain. "He has so many friends that make him laugh and have cool parties with him. I just want to be a part of that. I want to have fun and belong to a group that wants me around. I just always feel like there's no one in the world that cares about me."

"Now hold up there, bud," said Dean. "What am I? Just some random guy that follows you home? I don't think you realize how much I care about you, Cas. It physically hurts me to see you like this, and I promised myself that I'm going to try my hardest to never let it happen again."

"If you care about me so much, how come I can't see it?"

Of course a boy, desperate for attention from the cool kids on campus, would be blind to the loyalty Dean shows him. Dean was appalled that Cas said something like that. He was getting ready to make a comeback, but he stopped. Telling Cas off wasn't what that night was supposed to be about. He needed to remind him that he would always be there for him. That night wasn't about arguing; it was about turning Castiel's feelings around.

"Do you want me to show you how much I care about you?" asked Dean, looking into Castiel's eyes with piercing intensity. Cas looked back, staring back at him with timid, innocent eyes.

"I…" Cas began. "What do you mean by-?"

Cas couldn't finish his sentence before Dean's lips became planted right on his. Cas made a startled noise, muffled by the lips of the man in front of him. He didn't back away, but he didn't reciprocate. He seemed frozen in the very place he sat. Dean pulled away slowly, looking at Cas with a slight bit of fear in his eyes. The direction of Castiel's gaze didn't turn.

"Cas?" said Dean. "Are you okay? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"No," said Cas, stumbling over his words. "I…liked it. Can you…do it again?"

Dean's face turned red as he leaned in to lay another kiss on Castiel's lips. This time, Cas pressed his lips back. Dean caressed his face ever so gently, and pulled Cas closer to him. Their lips moved together in harmony, and with such gentleness. Dean was handling Cas as if he were a fragile treasure, which reflected how he felt about him. He deserved to be treated with such care; Dean wouldn't settle for giving him anything less.

"Okay, okay," said Dean, with a laugh. "You gotta let me take a breath at some point."

"I'm sorry," said Castiel, timidly. "I was just—"

"I understand. I'm just too irresistible."

Cas chuckled as Dean laid one more sweet, tender kiss on his cheek. They gazed at each other, taking in nothing else but the emotion their eyes revealed. They were, as the cliché goes, "lost in each other's eyes", and it would take an explosion in the room to break their gaze. The way in which they looked at each other was a way that suggested that they were each other's most important person. To the two of them, nothing was more important than the person sitting in front of them.

"So," said Dean. "Are you gonna be alone tonight?"

"Only if you're leaving," said Cas.

"Did you want me to leave?"

"Please, don't. Unless you want to leave. I'm just sick of being here by myself."

The way Castiel uttered that sentence was enough to bring any macho-man into a state of uncontrollable sobbing. The speed in which his eyes changed from a blissful smile to a hopeless frown was enough to give someone whiplash. There was nothing he despised more than being alone. His attempt at subtlety might have been a futile one, but who could blame him?

Dean chuckled and kissed Cas softly.

"I'll stay here with you," Dean whispered. "My house is full of douche bags anyway, right now."

"Thank you so much," said Cas, throwing himself into Dean's arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Dean smiled, and held his treasure closely.

"Anything for you."

It didn't take very long before Cas was sleeping in Dean's arms. Dean was in the middle of talking about Sam's annoying habits before Cas was conked out on his chest. Dean laughed, and was running his hands through Castiel's hair before he also slipped off into sweet slumber. The image of them in blissful sleep, with Cas resting on Dean's hardened chest, and Dean holding Cas gently, was nothing short of one simple word: beautiful.

The next morning, Cas woke up to flawlessly fluffed pillows under his head, and a warm blanket over his body. However, he was still lying on the couch. He looked around for Dean, and the hissing of a hot pan against food was what showed him the way.

As he moved into the kitchen, Dean looked over to him; a warm, loving smile stretched across his moderately rugged features.

"Mornin', sleepyhead," said Dean.

"Good morning," said Cas. "Dean, you don't have to cook. I can do that for you."

"Oh sit down and relax, Cas. If we're gonna be in this relationship thing I decided to start, then it's my job to pamper you, right?"

Cas blushed, and did as he commanded. It was different for him to have someone looking after him, even if that someone wasn't a parent. Castiel's parents were always gone before he was even close to waking up, and were always back just as he was getting ready for bed. They rarely had any time to give Cas the nurture and attention that he needed, but not by choice. The kindness that Dean showed was so different for Cas, but it wasn't unwelcomed.

Dean finished the elaborate breakfast of eggs, bacon, and pancakes, and they enjoyed it together. Cas had never smiled this much while sitting in his own home.

"You should come to my house," said Dean, with a voice muffled by pancakes. "I would feel bad if you were alone all weekend."

"I dunno," said Cas. "Will your dad be okay with it?"

"My dad's on a hunting trip," said Dean. "That's how Sam was able to have a party without him knowing. He's fine with just one or two people coming over, but what Sam did last night will be good blackmailing material."

"But what if Sam—"

"Don't even worry about him. I'll be with you, Cas. I won't let him hurt you if he tries to do anything. If anything, he'll probably just ignore you."

It stung a bit, to hear Dean say that. Realizing how much Dean cared about him subsided the desire to be a part of Sam's popular crew, but it didn't change the fact that he wanted somewhat of a friendship with him. He had to ignore it, though. As Dean said, it was a waste of energy. Dean made him feel more important than Sam and his whole crowd could ever make him feel, so there was no point in trying to look for what he already knew was right in front of him.

They cleaned up their breakfast mess, and Dean sat in Castiel's room while he packed a bag for his weekend stay. Dean would stop him every once in a while to give him smooches, which Cas giggled at, but had to shy away from if he was ever going to escape his lonely house.

Once he was all packed, they headed down the street to Dean's house, and they were welcomed by the crunch of a potato chip as they stepped into the house.

"Sam," said Dean, with a slight, angry growl. "There's no way in hell that I'm cleaning this shit up."

Just as he said that, Sam descended the staircase, rubbing his eyes. He glanced down at Dean and Cas, looking groggy, despite the fact that he just rolled out of bed at three in the afternoon.

"You're picking all this up, right?" asked Dean, in a demanding tone.

"And if I don't?" asked Sam, taunting him.

"You'll have to face Dad."

Sam rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen. Dean followed him to the entrance of it, and Cas trailed closely behind him.

"Sam, I'm not having this argument again. I've covered up for you way too many times, and I'm done with it. Handle your own problems."

Sam simply ignored his brother, exiting the kitchen and sipping on some water as he headed back upstairs to his room. Dean exhaled heavily, and turned to Cas.

"Welcome to my home," he said, with sarcasm. "I promise you, it's not normally like this. He usually just contains his annoying behaviors in his room."

Cas smiled at Dean's humor, assuming it was meant to ease the tension. From the moment they walked in the door, Dean was drowning him with accommodations. He asked if he wanted his bag carried, asked five times if he wanted a drink because he needed to make sure, and even asked if the temperature of the house was okay. Cas eventually just had to shove his lips right onto Dean's to get him to stop.

"Relax," he said, giggling. "I'm fine, Dean. Everything is great about your house. You're making it very enjoyable to stay here."

"Okay," said Dean, gently pressing his lips to Castiel's forehead. "I just want to make sure that you're enjoying yourself."

At that point, the phone rang.

"Hold on a sec, babe," said Dean. "That's probably Dad, and Sam isn't gonna answer it."

"Did you just call me 'babe'?" asked Cas.

"I sure did."

Dean shot Cas a wink as he left his room, leaving him blushing on Dean's bed. Cas looked around the room at all of the classic rock posters, admiring the taste of the boy he was falling for. The pillow he found himself hugging smelled like Dean, which was a refreshing, natural scent. It wasn't coated with the stench of cologne like other high school boys are, but he always has the "just showered" smell. Overall, the feel of his room was something Cas enjoyed; something he wanted to savor for more than just one weekend.

Cas started venturing out of Dean's room, wanting to explore the rest of the house, but he bumped into Sam right as he left the room.

"Oh," said Cas. "My apologies."

"Shut up," said Sam. "Your voice is so annoying."

"I…I'm so—"

"Wow! Really? You're still talking? I just said your voice is annoying, and you're still talking? You really are an innocent little shit, aren't you?"

The puppy eyes of lost hope formed on Castiel's face, revealing the confusion he was experiencing. He wasn't expecting this. Dean told him that Sam would just keep to himself, but instead, he started lashing out. Castiel's innocence was getting the better of him; it always did.

"Why on earth do you try so hard to be like me, huh?" Sam continued, backing Cas up into Dean's room. "You'll never be as popular as me, Cas. Hell, you probably won't even get close to that."

Tears were rushing down the face of the poor boy, as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Sam," he said. "I won't try anymore."

"Good. Oh, and while you're at it, don't put too much faith in my brother. You think he really likes you? Puh-lease, Cas. Don't be naïve. You're just a freshman. He's a junior. It's like, against our society."

"He really does like me!" said Cas. "I know he does."

Sam now had him against the wall, and the smirk on his face revealed the kind of terrible intentions he had.

"Really, Castiel?" he asked, with that false voice he seemed to favor. "Who could really fall for a fuck up like you?"

Castiel tried to break free of Sam's hateful grasp, but Sam wasn't letting him leave. He shot insult after insult until Cas was a sobbing mess. There was no letting up; he made sure Cas would keep crying. The poor, helpless boy couldn't even guess why he was being victimized like this. There was no reason, and no benefit out of Sam's actions. He was left wondering this as Sam began to leave the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean was returning to his room after the phone call, and saw Cas against the wall, pouring tears out a torrential storm. He had only been gone for a short, five-minute phone call. What could have happened to fill him with despair? He just did what he had to do; rushing to his side and trying his best to console him was part of the job description.

"What happened?" asked Dean with concern, as he gently wiped away the tears. "Why are you crying?"

Castiel couldn't even open his mouth before Dean was rushing out of the room and down the hall to his brother's room.

"Sam!" he screamed. "What the hell did you do?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Sam, looking irritable.

"Don't act like you don't know. What the hell did you do to Cas? He's a bawling mess right now."

"He's such a crybaby. He probably just got a paper cut and lost it."

Dean shook his head, cursed under his breath, and stormed back to his room. Cas was still sobbing, and once Dean approached him, he pulled him up gently, guiding him to his bed. Once they sat down, Castiel's head immediately fell against Dean's chest, and Dean held him closely, as if these two actions were automatic.

"What did he do?" asked Dean, tenderly running his hand up and down Castiel's back. "I can't beat him up properly unless I know what I'm doing it for."

"He…" said Cas, his voice shaking vigorously. "He said mean things to me. Very, very mean things. I don't even know why. He just came in here, and said mean things."

"Bastard," Dean whispered, almost inaudibly. "What kind of things?"

"He told me I'll never be popular, and that I should just stop trying. And…"

He paused, leaving Dean waiting for an answer. When Dean realized he wasn't continuing, he looked down at him. If it was possible, his tears seemed to be gushing out even faster, drowning his face in salty sadness. Cas pulled away from Dean, and Dean's hand immediately started wiping the droplets away, and caressing his face with a delicate touch. He looked at Cas with such heartbroken eyes, begging for an answer to his pain.

"Please tell me, Cas," he pleaded. "Tell me, so I can tell you that it's not true."

Cas sniffled, and looked up at his protector.

"He told me that you don't really like me the way he says you do."

Dean's chest expanded and compressed more quickly than normal, as his eyes became filled with rage. He wanted to just barge right back into Sam's room and turn his face red with blood, but he knew Cas needed him there more than Sam needed to be wailed on.

"You have to know that he's being a big dick," said Dean, soothingly. "I meant everything I said to you, Cas. The feelings I have for you are real. Don't let Sam convince you that I don't feel this way. You make me feel like I have a purpose in this world. When I'm with you, I feel like nothing is wrong. Nothing makes me happier than holding you in my arms, and comforting you when you're sad."

A smile penetrated through Castiel's tear-stricken face, and he gently kissed Dean's cheek.

"Thank you, Dean," he said. "I really enjoy being your…boyfriend? Is it safe to call it that?"

"Yes," said Dean, as he laughed. "I would say so."

They spent the rest of their night on Dean's bed, chatting away. Dean made sure to lock the door so Sam couldn't ruin their night, and would wait outside the bathroom when Cas had to use it, just in case Sam was ready to ambush him. The two of them laughed the evening away, unable to stop smiling in the company of the other. Dean was even able to find Castiel's most sensitive tickle-spots, and bombarded them until he begged for mercy. Cas, however, during a movie that Dean offered to put in, fell asleep in his lover's arms, and Dean simply smiled at the peaceful look in his face. He turned the movie off, having to get up from the bed and retrieve the remote from the floor, and slipped back into bed with him. After assuming his previous position of taking Cas in his strong arms, he drifted off to sleep as well.

The next morning, Cas rolled out of bed to Dean making breakfast, yet again. He told him he could make it, but Dean made him sit down and drink some milk, assuring him that he enjoyed doing those things for him. They enjoyed their breakfast, and tried to think of ways to entertain themselves for the rest of the day.

Sam waltzed into the kitchen while they were eating, but just to grab a bottle of water and an apple before he ventured back upstairs. He didn't even glance in their direction as he got what he needed. He just took it and left as if he was the only one in the room.

"Rude," said Dean.

They cleaned up their mess, and went back into Dean's room. They passed the time by playing video games (in which Dean let Cas win many times), and when that got boring, Dean offered to put in a horror game, suggesting that they could take turns. Cas was too scared to do it, so Dean played it while Cas jumped at every monster that appeared on the screen. He held onto Dean's arm tightly as he watched, as if Dean was protecting him from the pixilated creatures on the screen.

The two of them were startled by a knock on the door, thanks to the horrifying games they were playing. Cas remained where he was while Dean went to the door. He opened it, revealing his seemingly heartless brother. Dean rolled his eyes and started to slam the door on him, but Sam's hand stopped the door from closing.

"Can I please just talk to Cas for a minute?" he asked. His voice had never been so genuine. "Preferably alone?"

"No," said Dean, with authority.

Sam formed his signature bitch face, sighed, and moved into the room. He sat on Dean's bed, looking at Cas with sorrowful eyes.

"I wanted to apologize for last night," he said. "I was completely out of line."

Cas was terribly uncomfortable; it was written all over his expression. He looked to Dean, as if he wanted him to barge into the conversation and help. Dean just gave him a wink of assurance, and gestured to Sam, trying to get Cas to pay attention. If Dean was suspicious of any malicious behavior, he would have said something by now.

"I just…I just exploded for no reason, and you didn't deserve that at all. You and Dean have a bond that I don't think I could ever form with anyone, and I couldn't stand it anymore. I know it seems like I have so many friends, but they don't care about me at all. I'm just their friend because they want to be popular too. I wanted to ruin it for you guys, because I just couldn't stand the jealousy any longer. So you can go ahead and hate me if you want, because I can't change what I've said to you, but I just wanted you to know that I feel bad about it, and I'm truly sorry."

Cas looked at the floor, processing the explanation that was just given to him. Was this just another lie? Sam had done some terrible things, but this was the first time he actually took responsibility for what he had done to Cas. He wanted to disregard all of it; his naivety had been taken advantage of far too many times. However, Sam's voice had never sounded so genuine.

Sam sighed heavily and shook his head.

"You don't believe me," he said.

"I do," said Cas. "I just…don't want to be wrong."

"I'll live up to my apology. You're really a good person, Cas. Maybe, if it's alright, we can put this whole thing behind us and be friends."

Cas smiled, and nodded. It may not have been the "dream come true" feeling that he wanted to feel, but he was still befriending someone he thought he admired. Sam was showing that he really does have a heart, and that's all that Cas needed to forgive him.

"That sounds good to me," said Cas.

"You were a big dick, Sam," said Dean. "I can't forgive you immediately, but I'm glad to see that you're trying to make peace with him. You're on dangerously thin ice with me, so if you even think about hurting him again, I'll find a way to make sure you won't ever be able to hurt anyone again."

"Understood," said Sam, with a smile.

Sam gave Cas a friendly embrace, giving him the closure that he needed. The smile on Castiel's face showed the happiness he had been longing for; it showed that he finally achieved something. Befriending the most popular student on campus wasn't necessarily on his to-do list anymore, but nonetheless, it happened.

After a few hours of gaming with the Winchesters, Cas looked at the clock, and a frown invaded his soft features.

"I should probably go home," he said. "My parents might get mad at me if I stay here for too long."

"Aww, Cas!" said Dean. "Please don't go. Can't you just stay one more night?"

"But we have school tomorrow…"

"So?"

"Well can I at least ask my parents first? And maybe see if they're home?"

"Please? I'll come with you."

The two of them headed over to his house, and when Cas realized that his parents still weren't home, he sighed, and went to the phone so he could call them. The red light on the top right corner of the handset was blinking, letting them know that a message was waiting to be heard. Cas played the message.

"Hey sweetie," a tender, feminine voice said. "Looks like we won't be back for another few days. Sorry! But I think we'll have a nice surprise for you when we get back. Love you!" The message ended with a click.

"A surprise, eh?" said Dean.

"It's probably just another souvenir," he said. "They do that to remind me that they're thinking of me while they're gone."

Castiel decided against asking them if he could stay another night; it's not like they would care, anyway. He just made sure to get more clothes and his school things before he went back to the Winchester house, where he had yet another memorable night, but this time, with both of the Winchesters.

The next morning, the three of them prepared themselves for another day at school. Their father wasn't home yet, but Dean said that it was normal. After eating their bowls of cereal and performing their last minute gathering of school supplies, they were out the door.

It was that time of year in the society of high school students; talk of prom was spreading throughout the school. It was impossible to walk through the hall without hearing about who was asking who to prom, or what kind of fancy Limousine they would be arriving in. The girls were showing off pictures of their dresses to each other, almost competing to see who had the prettiest.

"It's almost sickening," said Sam, as the three of them sat at the far end of their usual table, as to avoid the popular crowd. He wanted to stay away from them as much as possible, knowing that they were the reason he was such a jerk.

"Don't you work on the stuff it, though?" asked Dean. "I mean, Prom seems to be your specialty, being king of campus and all."

"Yeah, I work on all the decorations and stuff, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I'm just good at it, is all."

"Makes sense."

"Prom always seemed so fun," said Cas. "Well, from the TV shows I watch. I'm only a freshman, so it's not like I'm allowed to go, or anything."

"If an upperclassman invites you, you can," said Sam.

"True. Oh great, my bladder is acting up. Be right back."

He hopped out of his seat, and walked across the lunch area to the bathrooms.

"'Not allowed to go to' my ass," said Dean. "Sam, I have a favor to ask you."

"Yeah?"

"I'm terrible with all those elaborate decorations, so leaving it up to me would be a terrible idea, and Cas deserves the best invitation. So…what I'm trying to say is…I want to ask him to Prom, and I need your help."


	4. Chapter 4

Sam chuckled a bit, analyzing the solemn gaze in his brother's eyes. Dean's expression was set in stone; Sam's laugh did nothing in terms of changing it. He wasn't going to take no for an answer, and this was apparent in the look he was giving his brother.

"You really want my help that bad, huh?" Sam asked.

"Yes, please," said Dean. "I already have an idea in mind, but I just need you to help me with the big finish."

"I owe you guys big time," said Sam, smiling warmly at his brother. "So looks like this will just be another step at gaining yours and Castiel's trust again."

Dean smiled back at his brother, and stretched across the table to give him a pat on the shoulder. The joy in their faces was genuine, which was a bit of a surprise, because Sam wouldn't waste a smile on someone unless it had a motive behind it. It was an improvement, though. He was showing that he was willing to change.

Cas waltzed back to their table, and took his seat next to Dean. He laid his head on Dean's shoulder, and Dean pulled him a bit closer with one arm, laying his head on his boyfriend's.

"I think that's the most you guys have ineracted since I've met the both of you," said Cas. "Was it a really exciting conversation?"

"Sure was," said Sam, taking a bite of his salad.

"Definitely," said Dean, unable to stop smiling.

So for the next few days, Dean had to decline Castiel's offers to hang out after school, because of the preparations he needed to make for the big question. He only had to bend the truth a little by saying that he was terribly busy, which wasn't really bending the truth at all. He just felt guilty that he had to, essentially, avoid his boyfriend.

Castiel's parents had returned from their business trip, but they were kept busy with emails and memos they needed to catch up on. They made it a point to spend some time with their son, however, before they busied themselves with the reason Cas always felt so alone. Cas would call Dean because, after finishing his homework, he had nothing else to do. Dean would cut it short, though, due to "tons of homework". Dean never let homework become an obstacle, which confused Cas, and added to his pile of reasons to feel lonely at that very moment.

Friday had finally arrived, and at the end of that school day, Castiel and the Winchesters met outside of campus. Cas was the last one to meet up with them, and once he approached them, he planted his feet firmly in front of Dean, and pointed right at his nose with a stern index finger.

"You, mister," said Cas, poking at Dean's strong chest. "You have been avoiding me all week, so I demand that we hang out this evening, or I'll get angry!"

Dean and Sam couldn't help but chuckle at this sight. A boy half his size was threatening him with a burst of rage, and without backing down at all.

"You'll get angry, eh?" Dean asked. "Angry enough to beat me up?"

"Yeah!" said Cas, with enthusiasm.

"I bet you can't beat me up."

"I bet I can!"

Dean dropped his backpack and took a fighting stance. Castiel watched him, keeping his angry expression in check. He dropped his backpack well, and took his battle stance.

"C'mon," said Dean. "Hit me with your best shot."

Cas hesitated a bit, since it was his boyfriend he would be hitting. However, he took a swing at him, and his fist crashed into Dean's bulging bicep. The strength in which Castiel's fist hit Dean's arm was pathetic, but could only be expected by a boy as slender as he was. To his surprise, though, Dean made an exaggerated grunt of pain, as he was brought to his knees.

"Enough!" Dean exclaimed, dramatically. "Enough! You're just too much for me! You win. I'll hang out with you tonight."

Sam chuckled at the ridiculousness of the scene, easily being able to see that Dean was just doing this to get a smile out of his boyfriend. They were nothing short of adorable, though, and that much couldn't have been denied. They all walked back to the Winchester house, with Dean and Cas hand in hand.

When they walked through the door, Castiel's immediate assumption was that they were going to hang out in Dean's room, but when he suggested the idea, Dean had to stop him.

"Not so fast, babe," he said. "I erm…have a surprise for you."

"You do?" asked Cas, with gleaming eyes.

"I do, but you have to find it first."

Castiel looked a bit confused, but the light in his bright, blue eyes was still there. Dean handed him a slip of paper, and Cas took it, looking back up at Dean for clarification.

"On that piece of paper," he began. "Is your first clue. This will bring you to another slip of paper, which will be another clue. After collecting all of these clues, you'll be allowed into my room to see the surprise. To make sure you don't cheat, Sam will be standing outside of my door, and he'll make sure you collected all of the slips."

Cas smiled, and nodded at Dean.

"I'm ready," he said.

Dean went up into his room, and Sam followed. After Dean shut his door, and his brother gave the go-ahead, Cas looked at clue: "I'm used for cleaning, and use lots of water." Cas pondered this a while, and he immediately went for the kitchen. He searched the sink; no paper. He looked in the dishwasher; also no paper. He realized, then, that checking all of the bathrooms might be in order. Before he ran upstairs to Dean's bathroom, he had a strange thought.

"Laundry machine?" he asked himself. It cleaned, and it used water. Why not? He raced to the laundry room, and to his surprise, it was right in the washing machine. He was filled with joy as he snatched it from its place, and unfolded it. There was more than just a clue on it this time.

"Good job, babe!" it began. "You're the smartest guy I know."

He blushed at the piece of paper; the creativity of this man he was dating filled him with such joy. He was determined to see this surprise, though, and he was driven to get through Dean's game to figure out what it was.

The clues sent him all over the house. He was being directed to almost all of the bathrooms, bookshelves, closets, and cabinets that were all over the house. The compliments were uplifting, however, saying things such as "I bet everyone on campus is jealous because I've got the most beautiful guy on my arm every day", and "if you were any more adorable…I wouldn't know what to do!" Each compliment gave him the determination to keep going, which finally brought him to the threshold of Dean's room.

Sam took all five slips of paper he found, and nodded at him.

"You're good," he said. "You're gonna love it."

He moved out of the way of the door, leaving Cas dumbstruck as he stood in front of it. He took a deep breath, twisted the door handle slowly, and pushed the door open.

Standing on the ground beside the foot of Dean's bed was a large, heart-shaped cake, coated with blue frosting, resting on a stand so it could stay upright. In the center of this cake, there was a picture they had taken together while they were hanging out at the Winchester house, showing Dean with his arm around Cas, pulling him close. Traced around the edges of this cake were the words "Will you come with me?", but Cas couldn't immediately decipher what its context was.

And standing next to this cake, was the man responsible for it all. He was wearing an elegant, black suit and pants with a black bowtie around his collar, standing with his hands behind his back. He was fully dressed with the shiny shoes and all, and after Cas broke out of his "there's-a-handsome-man-standing-in-front-of-me" trance, he looked down at his outfit, consisting of a blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans. He was underdressed for whatever seemed to be happening in Dean's room.

"D-Dean…" he said, blushing. "What is all this about?"

Dean approached him slowly, taking Castiel's hands in his own, and clasping them securely around them.

"It's me looking for an answer," he said. "I want to know if you'll come with me."

"Where?"

Dean chuckled a bit. He should have realized he would have been this clueless; he was still an innocent young man.

"You silly goose," said Dean. "To prom. Will you go with me to prom?"

Castiel's face was bright red. His palms were starting to get sweaty, and the room was suddenly ten degrees hotter, to him. However, Dean kept his gaze on the boy in front of him, patiently waiting for an answer. Cas met his gaze, and nodded with excitement.

"Yes, Dean," he said, as if he was trying to catch his breath. "I'd love to."

As if it was a public wedding proposal, Sam started applauding from outside Dean's room, and the happy couple turned to him. Sam grinned, but scooted away from the door, leaving them to be alone in their moment. Dean gently took hold of Castiel's delicate face with one hand, and softly planted a kiss on his lips. After he broke their lip-lock, he planted another tender kiss on his forehead, and pulled him in for a loving embrace.

"I can't wait for that night," said Dean. "I'm gonna be one happy guy."

The two looked into each other's eyes for what seemed to be several minutes, and their looks were broken by the sound of a phone ringing. Cas reached into his pocket and answered the phone.

"Hello?" he said.

"Honey," said a female voice. "Can you come home please? There's something we have to tell you."

"Okay, I'll come back right away," he said.

He closed his phone. Dean was looking at him with anticipation.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"My mom. She wants me to come back home. She has something to tell me."

"Aw, babe. Will you be able to come back when you're done over there?"

"I can ask."

So he grabbed his backpack, and headed back to his house. He weighed the possibilities of what they could say to him. Maybe they knew he was out of the house so much, and they were angry. Maybe they knew he was dating someone, and they were worried about sexually transmitted infections. He couldn't stop worrying about it, though. It made the trek back to his house longer than it should have been.

Once he walked in, he looked around for his parents, and found them after entering the kitchen.

"Cas!" she exclaimed, taking him into her arms. She was beautiful; her long black hair sunk to her shoulders, and she was very slender.

"Hi mom," he said, with a warm smile.

This was different from what he expected.

"Hey, son," his dad said, from where he was standing by the sink. He had a similar appearance to Cas. He wasn't nearly as skinny as Cas was, but their "nerdy" fashion sense was the same. He was very tall, though, which was quite different from Castiel's short appearance.

"Hi dad," said Cas. "So what did you guys have to tell me?"

"Well," his mom began. "Our company considered your father for an executive position, and they hired him! He'll be making enough to fully support all of us. So I'm going to quit, so I can spend more time with you!"

Castiel's eyes lit up, and he threw his arms around his mother.

"That's great!" he said, with enthusiasm. "That's really exciting."

They decided to celebrate by going out to dinner, which was decided by his mom, since she was too tired to cook. His father was a klutz in the kitchen, so lord knows they couldn't count on him to cook it.

"How's that friend of yours?" his mom asked. "What was his…oh right! Dean! How is he?"

"He's good," said Cas. "He uh…asked me to prom."

"I knew he would," she said, without hesitation. "I knew he liked you that way."

Cas was at a loss for words. He never even mentioned to his mother that he was possibly attracted to another man, and Dean never seemed to give off that vibe around them. What was even funnier was that his dad immediately turned around, looking at the both of them, desperate for an explanation.

"Our son is gay?" he asked.

"Oh please, James," she said. "Don't act like you didn't know. He never talks about girls, and he just gets this different look his eyes when he looks at Dean. You don't have a problem with it, do you?"

"No, of course not," said Castiel's father. "It just…took me by surprise."

"Good," she said. "You should invite him to dinner."

"Really?" said Cas, with a bright smile. "I can?"

"Of course. We have to give him the ol' talking to like parents do with their kids' boyfriends."

Cas immediately pulled his phone out and moved to the living room couch, and called Dean. His words raced with extreme speeds, sending the invite at him as fast as he could.

"Goodness, babe," he said, chuckling. "Yes, I'll be glad to come to dinner with you guys."

They swung by Dean's house on the way there, and after picking him up, they headed to Castiel's favorite restaurant, which just happened to be the best burger joint in town.

"Do you like burgers?" asked Castiel's dad.

"Love 'em," said Dean. "Looks like my Cas and I share the same palate."

When they arrived at the restaurant, after they were seated and their orders were taken, the parents went into full interrogation mode.

"So, Dean," said Castiel's mother. "Taking our son to prom, huh?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said. "I hope that's alright with you."

"It's more than alright," she said. "Now, what kind of man would you say you are, hm?"

Castiel looked at his mother with harsh eyes, trying to tell her she was crossing the line. She shrugged lightly, and looked back at Dean.

"Well," he said. "Mrs.-"

"Call me Hayley," she said.

"Uhm, all right. Well, as Cas can also tell you, I'm very protective and caring, and I give him a lot of respect. I won't take advantage of him, and I'll treat him like a king."

"You already do that," said Castiel, softly.

"Mission accomplished," said Dean, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"Welp," said Hayley. "Looks like I've got nothing to worry about. I approve."

"Already?" said James.

"Well what else do you want me to do?"

James looked at Dean right in the eye, and Dean swallowed nervously in anticipation of what he was going to say.

"Dean, if you hurt my boy at all, you'll have to deal with me. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," said Dean.

For the rest of the night, they enjoyed their dinner, and made small talk with Dean, trying to get to know the person who was falling for their son. It was apparent that they all enjoyed each other's company, and there was nothing but smiles as dinner went on. There wasn't a doubt in his parents' hearts that Dean was the right one for him.

Prom night had arrived, and Cas was waiting in the kitchen, dressed in a bright white tux, with a white tie, black shoes, and a black belt. He wore a red rose in his breast pocket, and out of everything he wore, this was what popped out most. He was tapping his foot, and fiddling with his hands. He had to keep his mind busy; tonight was a big night.

"Don't spill anything on that suit," his mom kept telling him.

"I know," said Cas, irritably."

The doorbell finally rang, and Cas rushed to the door. When he opened it, Dean was standing on the other side, in his suit that he wore the day he asked Cas to prom.

"You ready, babe?" he asked. "Sorry I couldn't get a limo…I hope the Impala is okay."

"It wouldn't be a perfect night if it wasn't," said Cas.

"Wait, you two!" said Hayley. "I need pictures!"

Dean came in for a while, and Castiel's mother took their picture of them; Dean holding Cas from behind, leaning his head on Castiel's.

"Now one with kissing!"

"Mom," said Cas. "Do we really?"

"Listen to your mother," said Dean.

"I knew I liked you for some reason," said Hayley.

They locked lips, and after the flash lit up the room, they separated their lips, and smiled at each other.

"Well," said Dean. "We should head out. We've got dinner reservations at a super fancy Italian restaurant, and Sam and his date don't want to be kept waiting."

After they said their goodbyes to Castiel's mother, she gave them all the clichés. "Be back before midnight!" and "Be safe!" and all the things mothers usually say. They went out the front door and got in Dean's car, heading off into the night that would change their relationship forever.


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner was only the beginning to a night filled with things to be nervous about. All Castiel had to worry about at dinner was not getting any spaghetti sauce on his suit. He was scared, though, because the night would be more than just avoiding splatters of food on his suit. At prom, he would have to dance with Dean. He would have to avoid falling on his bum, falling on other people, and ultimately, bringing Dean down with him.

Cas was quiet at dinner, buried in his worries. He rarely looked up at anyone while they were talking, and would only glance up from his plate of food every once in a while, in hopes to seem like he was actually paying attention. These conversations mostly consisted of Sam and Dean sharing memories and humorous stories, and Sam's date (some girl who sat with him at lunch, whose name was Jessica), laughing at them. Castiel's occasional glances would be paired with a smile, trying to hide his anxiety.

It only lasted until the middle of their meal, though, when Dean laid his hand on Castiel's leg.

"Are you okay?" he asked, gently moving his hand back and forth along Castiel's thigh.

"I'm fine," he said, beneath Sam's conversation with Jessica. "I'm just nervous."

"About what?"

"Possibly making a fool of myself."

Dean moved his hand over Castiel's, and looked right into his eyes.

"You won't make a fool of yourself," said Dean. "Don't worry about what everyone else is gonna think of you. The only thing that I'll be thinking about tonight is making sure you never stop smiling."

Castiel's face lit up with a bright shade of red, blown away by his lover's words. It only helped him a little, though. The raging nerves inside his body wouldn't be calmed until he was back at home, sleeping in his warm bed.

After their dinner, they ventured forth into the evening sun, to the venue where every fellow student of theirs would be dancing the night away. Castiel's nerves were blazing inside his whole body, causing him to sweat before his body even had a legitimate reason to. He tried to fan them down as they got out of the car, and walked hand in hand to the entrance.

After showing their tickets to the staff at the entrance, they made their way through the corresponding hallway into the giant, circular room, filled with students dancing with their partners. The dances they performed were similar to having sex with clothes on, but no one seemed to care. The music was loud, and as they moved through the dancing masses, they felt their heat as it radiated off of their bodies. The smell of sweat and perfume clouded the air, which wasn't the most pleasing of aromas, but as the time went on, it wasn't noticeable at all.

"Let's try the punch," said Dean. "I've always wanted to drink out of a punch from a punch bowl."

They moved far away from the crowd to drink some of the vibrant, red liquid sitting on a table on the other half of the room. Dean poured some of the drink into two cups, and they drank as they watched their fellow classmates dance.

"This stuff is scrumptious!" said Dean, chugging the remaining liquid in his clear, plastic cup.

"I agree," said Cas.

After he was done, Dean took hold of Castiel's hand and dragged him to the dance floor. Dean started swaying to the beat, and Cas could only watch as he tried to process how Dean was moving. It was taking too long, so Dean took him by the hips, and they started moving in unison. Their bodies were dancing in harmony, and for the first time that night, there wasn't a single flame of anxiety in Castiel's nerves. It was as if they were they only ones in the room, letting the music control the way their bodies moved. Cas was actually enjoying himself.

After the upbeat rhythm subsided, it was replaced with a gentle melody, and like a room full of puppets, the other students followed the music as if it was their master. Dean kept his hands on Castiel's waist, and Cas rested his arms around Dean's neck as they swayed gently to the peaceful song. Their eyes stayed locked on each other's, further emphasizing how they felt as if no one else was in the room.

"Cas," said Dean, looking down at the ground. "I uh, have been thinking about this for a while, but I feel like I can say this truthfully. I've been your friend since the first day of school, and out of everyone in my life; you're the only one who I'm happy with no matter what we're doing. I don't deserve someone as beautiful and kind as you. When you're sad, I can't help but feel the same, because knowing you're not happy makes me feel terrible. I hope this doesn't make you feel uncomfortable, but this is how I feel, and I can't hold it in forever. Cas…I love you."

The expression Castiel showed was that of a child who just watch someone's life slip away from them. His eyes stared blankly ahead of him, and his face reflected nothing as far as emotion went.

"Cas?" said Dean, panicked.

Just by looking at Dean's expression, it was obvious that he was scrambling to make things right.

"Cas, are you okay?"

He grabbed Castiel's by his hands, who was now breathing quickly and looking at the floor. The room was spinning, in his mind, and he was having a tough time trying to get it to stop.

"D-Dean," he said. "I…need some fresh air."

"Did you want me to come-?" Dean began to ask.

"No. Just…by myself."

Cas stumbled off of the dance floor, almost falling. Dean lunged to catch him, but stopped when he noticed that Cas didn't completely lose his balance. Slowly but steadily, he made his way to the outside area, where he started sobbing.

He was only a high school student. What did he know about love? The only love he knew was the love his parents gave him, and that wasn't the same security he felt with Dean. No one had ever told him this before; being loved by someone who didn't share the same chromosomes was a foreign concept to him. It confused him, that someone could feel this way, and at the same time, he wasn't sure whether or not he felt the same. Was it just going too fast? Dean was the perfect guy for him, so why would he have any doubts? He was scared, because he didn't know how to respond to Dean. What scared him more, is that he couldn't avoid answering him completely.

"Cas?" said a familiar voice.

Castiel turned to see Sam, dressed in all white, similar to Cas.

"Sam," he said. "Where's Jessica?"

"She wanted to hang out with her friends for a bit," he said. "What are you doing out here? Where's Dean?"

"Inside. I…needed fresh air."

Sam sat on the cement railing beside Cas.

"Are you feeling okay? Do we need to take you to the hospital?"

A subtle smirk pierced through Castiel's despair, but it didn't stop the tears from flowing.

"No, I just…"

"Cas, you can talk to me," said Sam, with sincerity. "I know we're still just working on getting on better terms, but that doesn't mean I can't still be reliable. I'm not just going to leave you out here on a night that's supposed to be filled with smiles, while you're crying your eyes out of their sockets."

Cas was scared to open up to Sam; that much was true. Sam hadn't really done anything selfless for Cas since the day he apologized. Sure, he helped Dean with the elaborate plan to ask him to prom, but he considered that more for Dean, rather than for him. What was also true is that, at the moment, he was the only one who would be willing to listen.

"Dean told me he loved me," said Cas. "And…now I'm here. I just left him on the dance floor."

"Well geez, Cas," said Sam. "That's a bit harsh, don't ya think?"

Cas wiped some tears that were running down his cheeks, shaking his head in embarrassment.

"I know," he said. "I just…I'm only fifteen years old. How am I supposed to know how to love him back the way he loves me?"

Sam took a moment to respond, taking a deep breath before he spoke.

"Dean's been with a lot of people," said Sam. "Lots of girls, and only a few guys, and the result was all the same. They only lasted for a month or so, and Dean hated their guts afterward. He's been with you for so much longer. The look he gets when he talks about you is just beyond me. Every night since you two have started dating, he talks my ear off about all of his favorite things about you. Cas, he's never felt this way about anyone else. So if you're worried about him lying about his feelings, don't. He meant it when he said he loves you."

"I just don't know," said Cas. "It's just going so fast…"

"Does he make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?"

"Yeah."

"Always smiling around him?"

"Always."

"Makes you feel like a prince?"

"More than ever."

Sam stopped there. Cas seemed to be waiting for another question, but when he noticed that Sam wasn't spitting any more questions out, he looked to him, trying to find the reason behind his silence. Sam just raised his eyebrows, shifted his gaze at Cas, and flashed a warm smile.

"I think that's where your answer is," he said. "No one can judge when it's appropriate to say 'I love you'. Once you're out of the passion stage, and you can deal with each other after that, it's almost as if any time is appropriate. You just say it when you're ready, y'know?"

Cas beamed, still a bit teary-eyed, but overjoyed that Sam was there for him. He felt as if this is exactly what he needed to get back on his feet.

"Thanks, Sam," he said.

"Anytime," said Sam, getting back to a standing position. "Don't keep him waiting."

He walked back into the building, and after Cas reclaimed the strength he needed, he went back in, full of regrets, but determined to make things right.

**Dean's POV**

He was sitting with his drink in his hand, and his face on the table. How else was one supposed to feel when being walked out on by someone they just admitted their love to? Dean had never left himself so vulnerable before, and the one time he feels it's safe, he's proven wrong. He wanted to believe that Cas was really just getting a breath of fresh air, but he needed to think realistically. He ran out on him, and he ended the relationship they had built up so well. He didn't even care that people were walking his table, giving him strange looks and whispering to their friends. He just wanted to leave the venue with the same, invigorating feeling he had when they waltzed in.

"Dean?" a female voice said, but he didn't match the voice with the face.

"No, I'm not dancing with you," he said, not even bothering with checking to see whom the mystery woman was. "I'm taken."

"I know that," she said. "And if you'd stop sulking and look at me, you'd realize that I'm not trying to hit on you."

Dean flipped his head up, and saw the blond, curly haired girl standing in front of him.

"Jessica?" he asked. "Why aren't you with Sam?"

"I wanted to say 'hey' to my girls," she said. "And he ran off somewhere."

To him, this was unexpected. If anyone were to be coming up to him to help him, it would have been Sam. It wasn't unwelcomed, but it also came as a surprise. She took a seat next to him, and rested her head against her hand, looking at Dean with attentiveness.

"Where's your boy?" she asked. "You two seemed like you were having fun earlier."

"I don't wanna talk about it," said Dean.

"Yeah, you do," she said. "You're sad, I can tell. You'll feel better if you just tell me."

"No, I won't."

"Yes, you will."

"No…"

"Yes!"

"Would you stop bothering me?"

"I'll stop bothering you when you let me help you."

Dean was looking right into her eyes; brows creased, jaw clenched, and breathing quickly because of the annoyance in front of him. Contrary to his angry composure, she was beaming, and her eyes seemed to be smiling as well. It was obvious that Dean was trying to scare her off, but she just sat there with that smug look on her face, refusing to budge until Dean gave her an answer.

"Fine," he said, in that gruff, irritated voice. "I told Cas I love him, and he walked outside for 'fresh air'. And now I'm worried that he doesn't wanna be with me anymore, because I might have rushed him into something more serious than he's ready for. Happy? 'Cause I'm not."

He looked down at his drink, and started fiddling around with it. He just willingly told his feelings to the guy he loved, and it ruined him. Why on earth would he just give in to his brother's pushy girlfriend? If anything, he could have lied, but he didn't. He needed help, though. He couldn't lie to himself about that.

"Well," she began. "He's a young one. A commitment like that might be scary for him, you know? I'm sure he just feels like he's been put on the spot. Have no fear, Dean. Things will turn out for the better. If anything, he'll just ask if he can take it slower. It's obvious that he really likes you. He wouldn't give you up that easily."

Dean looked up at her from the corner of his eye, showing her a subtle smirk of appreciation. He was glad she found him, despite how closed off he was at first. Dean very rarely needed help with issues like this, but in this case, he wasn't complaining about receiving it. She told him exactly what he needed to hear; what his mind was too panicked to use to calm himself down.

"Thanks, Jess," said Dean. "I'm glad Sammy's datin' a nice girl."

"My pleasure," she said.

Their attention was immediately diverted by a group of fairly large guys huddled near one of the exits to the outside area of the venue. They were fairly noisy, and somehow being just a bit louder than the music. Hands kept flying out from the middle of their tight circle, revealing the severity of the situation.

"Oh my God," said Jess. "Are they beating someone up?"

"I think," said Dean, squinting at the rambunctious crowd.

He was trying to pick out more details as the two of them slowly made their way across the room. There was enough of a gap, eventually, for him to notice a scrawny arm, and his heart skipped a beat. However, once there was enough of a gap to where the face of this individual was revealed, Dean's heart almost stopped.

"Son of a bitch," he said. "It's Cas!"

He bolted over to the crowd, not even paying attention to whether or not Jessica was keeping up. He wasn't even aware that he blew through about ten people on the way to the tussle; the only thing on his mind was getting to the crowd of villains before they could harm Cas any more.

"Move it, ass-hats!" he said, reaching the crowd and barreling through them.

They protested and complained, but Dean didn't pay attention. He just held onto Cas, squeezing him tight, and protecting him from the goons that were surrounding them. It was a relief to see that he wasn't severely injured, but it didn't quell he anger pumping through Dean's veins.

"So this is your boyfriend," said one of the guys.

"Who knew Dean Winchester liked sucking dick?" said another.

"C'mon, Cas," said Dean, as he tried to guide him out of the crowd. "Let's get out of—"

One of the bullies planted himself directly in front of Dean, and he collided against his colossal body.

"Where do you think you're goin'?" he asked. "You and your faggot boyfriend are staying right here."

"Shut up," said Dean. "Don't talk about him that way."

"Faggots," one of them cheered, over and over.

It caught on; they were all screaming it at the couple in front of them. Poor Cas was huddled against Dean's back, and Dean did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed his boyfriend's hand, and tried to run as fast as he could. However, someone grabbed his hand, and threw him against the wall. Castiel gasped, frozen with shock.

Dean recovered quickly from the blow, and started threw a punch right at the one who threw him. Not surprisingly, everyone just backed away, not even attempting to step up and defend their colleague. The one victimized by Dean's heavy fist wiped the blood from his mouth, and hurdled at him with his own, but was stopped by a teacher who decided to appear just a bit too late.

"Settle down, all of you!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, kick him out!" said the one with the bleeding lip. "Beatin' people up like he owns the place."

"I saw what happened, don't act like I'm stupid. Because I'm sympathetic to those who are bullied, I'm letting this kid's little blow to your face go, and kicking _you_ out for harassment, and violence against another student."

"But don't you have to report this or somethin'?" said the student.

"No, I don't. I'm the principal. What I say, goes."

He dragged the student away, leaving Dean baffled that he wasn't taken away as well. He caused the most damage, but he was forgiven.

"Dean," said Cas, approaching him slowly. "Th-Thank you."

"My pleasure," he said.

He began to walk away, but was stopped when Cas grabbed his hand.

"Wait," he said. "We need to talk."

Dean turned around, nodded, and they walked outside together. They took a seat on the railing, sitting close to each other, showing that they still had strong feelings for each other.

"I thought about what you said earlier," said Cas. "I wanted to give you my answer."

"Yeah?" said Dean, intrigued. "So you're dumping me?"

"Quite the opposite. I'll be honest; I was scared when you said you loved me, because I wasn't sure if I was ready to say it back. I couldn't think of what to say, so naturally, I tried to avoid it. However, you answered the question I've been asking myself without even opening your mouth. You're the sweetest guy I know, and I feel like royalty when I'm with you. You make me smile, and you're always comforting me when I'm depressed. You really do have my well being on the top of your priorities. I mean, I totally walked out on you, and you still saved me from those guys. I might only be a fifteen year old high school student, who doesn't know that much about love, but I feel like what we have describes that to its fullest. Dean, I won't leave you guessing any longer. I love you, too."

Dean's expression radiated with joy, and a tear started rolling down his moderately scruffy cheek.

"Come here, you," said Dean, as he pulled Cas in for a tight, loving embrace.

It was a beautiful sight, seeing these two in each other's arms, overjoyed to the point of tears because of the feelings they shared for each other. They remained there, being watched by their classmates, but they couldn't even feel the stares as they held each other. They were in their own world; separate from the one their physical beings existed in, connected by their love for each other. And when Dean pulled away and pressed his lips onto Castiel's, the sparks in their hearts flew. They moved their lips together in harmony, and for the remainder of their stay at prom, they stayed lost in their loving world while the physical one circled around it.

They spent their time after prom with Sam and Jessica, indulging in a double date at a frozen yogurt joint where they all wore permanent smiles. It was night full of emotions flying throughout the spectrum, but it was a sweet ending that wrapped up their night perfectly. Dean and Castiel's hands were locked almost the whole time, unable to break their chain that was built so securely tonight. It was adorable, really. They were inseparable, even throughout the night's events. Though, it was because of the night's events that their love evolved into something so strong.

The two couples had to go their separate ways, though, because the brothers needed to take their dates to two separate locations. After thanking them for all the help they gave them tonight, they set out to Castiel's home, reminiscing in the gorgeous night that they spent together. Castiel described it as "perfect", but Dean said it was only perfect because Cas was right they spent it with each other. Cas had to agree, because he knew it would only be perfect with Dean.

When they arrived at Castiel's house, Dean walked his love to the door, holding him closely in his arms on the porch, letting the night sky see their impeccable love.

"This was the best night I've ever had," said Dean. "Not even lying."

"I agree," said Cas, looking up to Dean.

They kissed each other gently, and Dean held the back of Castiel's head before he broke their lip-lock, and planted a kiss on Castiel's forehead. Castiel's face was red from excitement, completely invigorated by the affection Dean always showed him.

"I wish you could stay over," said Cas. "I just wanna be with you all night, now."

"I'd love that," said Dean. "But I don't need your mom thinking badly of me. If you want, I can come back over tomorrow."

"I'll be waiting," said Cas.

They shared a kiss one last time before they had to say their goodbyes. As Dean was walking to his car, Cas called his name, making him turn his head back to the front door.

"I love you," he said, smiling as he did.

"Love you too, babe," said Dean.

Cas watched Dean as he got into his car, and drove in the other direction to his house. He slipped through the door, wearing a bright smile that stayed with him even while he slept through the night.

Looking back on the rest of his school year, nothing was as it was before. He found the positives in his life, and everything turned around. He was a sad, lonely boy who just wanted to belong, but the world seemed to scream at him in protest. After being shocked into a realization when Dean revealed his true feelings, coincidentally, his life started turning around, one step at a time. It was as if he had angels watching over him, healing the broken wounds in his existence by slowly fixing what was wrong. He was the boy who wanted a group to call his own, and slowly, but surely, he found it, and it was more than he could ever ask for.


End file.
